Los Angeles c. 1889

[Bill Murphy]

Mills please give us the date of the order and delivery. In December of 1889, preparations were being made for the U.S. Cartridge Company tour, an East versus West competition with two teams of top pro and amateur shooters. A good percentage of the shooters were Parker shooters and it is possible that your gun was ordered for one of these competitors. The tour would take off for various parts of the country on January 27 of 1890. There was to be a flyer shoot in LA as part of the tour. Parker company shooters participating included T.K. Keller, J.R. Stice, S.A. Tucker, W.S. Perry, Charles Budd, and others. There were to be about 38 stops, with shoots at each stop. All of the Parker team shooters were furnished the new hammerless guns, in my opinion. Perry retired his C Grade hammer gun in 1889 and was issued a ten gauge DH hammerless. Other Parker shooters were probably treated the same. Too bad no name is attached to your gun.